RAV4 Owners. First It Was Holdens, Now Apparently Its RAV4s

geekcohen on 06/02/2025 - 13:58
Last edited 06/02/2025 - 14:06 by 1 other user

So I know RAV4s are a popular OzBargain suggestion.

After watching the latest Car Expert video about the whole Holden Commodores (specifically VF models) being stolen issue, apparently, RAV4s are also getting knocked off.

It's insane that nowadays, pretty much any wiring loom could be used to steal a car with a cheap eBay tool.

If you go back earlier in the video as well, there is a tactic thieves are using to see if the car is being tracked. So maybe people with the OzBargain Favourite wanwaytech GPS Tracker still have a chance if their vehicle is stolen.

Anyway! Just a heads up to the OzBargain community.

Automotive Car Holden Commodore SUV Toyota

Comments

  • MS Paint on 06/02/2025 - 14:00
    +2

    Lucky your VE was never stolen. Possibly unlucky. I'm not sure now

    • geekcohen on 06/02/2025 - 14:06
      +2

      Glad it is gone, to be honest. Even if it was stolen, wouldn't have got much for it. Probably what I got for the trade in. Just would've lost all the contents of it.

  • mskeggs on 06/02/2025 - 14:03

    Seems like a lot of effort to nick a Toyota.

  • Hardlyworkin on 06/02/2025 - 14:07
    +6

    An Ood school steering wheel lock might be enough of a deterrent.

    • Jimothy Wongingtons on 06/02/2025 - 14:19
      +10

      I am thinking to get one purely as a defence tool with the number of nut jobs out on the road these days. The extra function of stopping car theft is a nice bonus.

      Everybody gangster until they see someone holding an OG vintage 90’s club brand steering wheel lock in hand.

      • eccaz on 06/02/2025 - 14:32
        +1

        You reckon it’ll make you a match for a crazed meth head?

        • plmko on 06/02/2025 - 15:26
          +1

          Just tough talk like how everyone fantasises about home intruders and what they'll do. In reality there's only going to be images of Chihuahuas.

      • Gunnar on 06/02/2025 - 17:50
        +2

        Is there anything a Club Lock can’t do?

        • Jimothy Wongingtons on 06/02/2025 - 17:53
          +1

          Worker of the Week award goes to this.. inanimate carbon rod for its tireless effort.

        • Ocker on 06/02/2025 - 19:22

          Yep, it's called a .22 rifle. Provided of course you catch the mongrels in the act.

      • Muppet Detector on 11/02/2025 - 16:28
        +2

        Club also good for smashing windows when your car defaults to deadlock just before the battery goes flat and you're stuck inside.

    • whyisave on 08/02/2025 - 13:27

      Steering wheel lock can also be defeated, depending on design and placement of the lock on the steering wheel.

      • Hardlyworkin on 08/02/2025 - 15:31
        +1

        Anything can be defeated. It just has to be good enough to deter.

      • JIMB0 on 08/02/2025 - 23:25
        +1

        They just cut through the steering wheel.

        • whyisave on 09/02/2025 - 00:01

          This is a much quicker solution!

  • Baysew on 06/02/2025 - 14:08
    +21

    Thanks OP, will buy Alfa Romeo Stelvio instead.

  • tmcn85 on 06/02/2025 - 14:26
    +2

    Manual cars should have cheaper insurance.

  • pegaxs on 06/02/2025 - 14:43

    I've seen the drug dealer pricing for both VE Commodores and Rav4's, no wonder people want to steal them…

  • FezMonkey on 06/02/2025 - 15:08
    +13

    First they came for the Commodores, and I said nothing.

    • Jimothy Wongingtons on 06/02/2025 - 20:12
      +1

      For I was not a sick kient

      Then they came for the rav4s…

  • JimB on 06/02/2025 - 15:44
    +4

    Please steal my car (before I pay my annual insurance renewal).

    I need an excuse to upgrade my car.

    • Jimothy Wongingtons on 06/02/2025 - 20:14

      excuse

      You deserve that new amg gle63

      • JimB on 06/02/2025 - 23:20
        +1

        Thanks, I do.

        However fast SUVs don’t do anything for me.

        Give me a base model 911 manual for similar money.

    • Jake D on 07/02/2025 - 11:04
      +2

      Insurers hate this one weird hack

  • tsunamisurfer on 06/02/2025 - 16:39
    +2

    I hope the CCP workers can enhance the RAV4 that can carry Kayaks.

    It has been a crime that I cannot do Kayaks.

  • Benoffie on 06/02/2025 - 16:57
    +2

    Meh, Ive got permanent new for old insurance. Have at it.

    • frondono on 06/02/2025 - 18:13
      +2

      which company offers that?

      • Benoffie on 06/02/2025 - 18:17
        +5

        RAA - 'premium comprehensive' they call it now. Strangely, after all the membership and multi policy discounts, it came out cheaper than regular (about $1200 pa atm)

      • Bigboomboom on 07/02/2025 - 12:22

        GIO Platinum also offers lifetime new for old. Of course they are pricier than just comprehensive insurance.

  • LFO on 06/02/2025 - 17:58

    It would not happen with manual cars … :-|

    • JIMB0 on 06/02/2025 - 19:20

      Don't be lulled into a false sense of security.

      • LFO on 07/02/2025 - 23:05

        Thieves will disagree … manual is just to hard to resell and too hard to drive "as it is stolen".
        Times have changed.

        • JIMB0 on 08/02/2025 - 00:04

          There's still quite a few manual cars that get stolen, check out some of the Facebook groups where people post trying to find their missing car. It might stop some of the younger thieves, particularly the opportunistic ones that take keys from gym lockers.

  • Shoocat on 06/02/2025 - 21:38

    Some days I wish someone would steal my RAV4…

    • fredblogs on 07/02/2025 - 12:22

      why

      • Euphemistic on 07/02/2025 - 19:23

        Installed a camwra in thebdriveway and wants to go viral with something juicy.

      • Shoocat on 07/02/2025 - 21:22

        Because it's not enjoyable to drive, not particularly well appointed and reasonably noisy.

        If someone stole it I could claim on insurance and buy something else!

        • fredblogs on 07/02/2025 - 23:48

          which badge & year?

        • basilv on 08/02/2025 - 15:50

          What would you go for instead?

  • darshu on 07/02/2025 - 09:17
    +1

    I have seen an article written by a cybersecurity professional. RAV4's headlights are easy to access even when the vehicle is locked and are connected to the CAN bus. Using special hardware, fake messages (spoofing) can be sent to control units indicating "valid key is present". Basically, there is no authentication between between modules. Compared to EU vehicles, Toyota's don't need programming (coding) when most components are changed, that simplicity comes with a security vulnerability.

    • bazingaa on 08/02/2025 - 12:00

      so can it bypass the immobilizer in the physical key as well?

      • whyisave on 09/02/2025 - 00:03

        open the door and drive away.

        Don't you need the key to start the car's engine?

        • JIMB0 on 09/02/2025 - 09:45
          +1

          The unit injects a fake message into the canbus network that makes the car think the key is present. There's no encryption in the messages between devices on network. It relies on physical protection, they didn't think someone would access it through the headlight.

          • Muppet Detector on 11/02/2025 - 16:37

            @JIMB0: I thought you just grabbed some wires from under the dash in the footwell, chewed off the plastic bits and touched two wires together causing the car to start.

            Udemy has a lock picking course.

            Do that, enter the car, connect the wires and off you go like a frog in a sock.

            Then there was that tie on dad's farm we had to get behind and push the thing down the hill till it got enough momentum to kick start, then we'd have to scramble to all pile in…

  • fredblogs on 07/02/2025 - 12:23

    Are Lexus more secure then?

    • JIMB0 on 11/02/2025 - 17:23

      Nothing is secure since Autel released a tool that can reprogram keys to just about every car out there. It just that the tools for the Holdens and RAV4 are cheaper and readily available from places such as Temu.

  • Muppet Detector on 11/02/2025 - 17:42

    The way I figure it, if an opportunistic car stealer sees you have a club lock on your car, they're more likely to keep going to look for an easier car to steal.

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